Skip to content
Biz Formation Academy

A plain textbook on LLC paperwork, one state per chapter.

Chapter 1 · Ohio

Ohio LLC Formation Chapter (2026): 7 Sections and the 2 Best LLC Services

Ohio readers who want help forming an LLC in 2026 should look at Mainstay Filing ($199) and OH Registered Agent.org ($199), in the order given. Definition to start: the filing fee is the $99 paid to Ohio. The 7 sections cover it.
Written by the Biz Formation Academy editorial board

Essential facts

State filing fee $99 codes.ohio.gov (edition of October 2026)
Recurring report None None to file
State fees across three years $99 State charges only
Number of sections 7 First to last

Chapter objectives

  • How an LLC is formed in Ohio
  • What the agent rule says
  • What follows formation
  • The services ranked highest

The Ohio shortlist

Ranked by the grading page: three-year cost (34%), paperwork completed (30%), second-year price, fit with Ohio rules and clarity of the price list.

1. Mainstay Filing: best for one provider for both tasks

Top recommendation
$199 annually and the $99 state fee

First place goes to Mainstay Filing; formation together with a year of statutory agent service costs $199, EIN application included.

Three years cost $200 more than OH Registered Agent.org, yet this service completes more of the paperwork, and the ranking weighs that.

Price covers

  • Filing delivered to the state
  • Statutory agent for the full year
  • The EIN application is part of the price
  • No markup on the state fee

Advantages

  • $199 annually, all inclusive
  • $199 every year
  • The EIN section is part of the package

Limitations

  • Renewal costs $100 above OH Registered Agent.org
  • The bundle is worth a little less in this state
Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

2. OH Registered Agent.org: best for a basic formation

Local option
$199 and fees, then $99 each year

OH Registered Agent.org is ranked second: $199 to start with the first agent year paid, followed by $99 annually.

Price covers

  • The Ohio formation, prepared and submitted
  • One year of agent service is built into the price

Advantages

  • The first agent year is free
  • $199 and the state fee
  • The agent renews at $99

Limitations

  • The EIN application costs $99 extra
Visit OH Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Rankings and prices together

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1 Mainstay Filing $199$199/yr$597 Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 OH Registered Agent.org $199$99/yr$397 Visit OH Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Prices come from each company's own site, consulted November 13, 2026. No row includes the $99 state fee.

The chapter, section by section

  1. Section 1

    Confirm the name is not taken

    Check the name against the Ohio register kept by the Ohio Secretary of State; this avoids a rejected filing.

    Keep a second choice on hand.

  2. Section 2

    Select a statutory agent for the LLC

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. An Ohio resident, or a business entity with a business address in Ohio.

    The address has to be the agent's home or usual place of business in Ohio. P.O. boxes and commercial mail receiving agencies are not accepted.

    Providing the statutory agent is part of what each recommended service sells.

    Reference: codes.ohio.gov (edition of October 2026)

  3. Section 3

    Decide between self-filing and a service

    The state fee, $99, applies either way; the recommended services charge $199 for their part.

  4. Section 4

    Section four is the Articles of Organization

    This section is the legal act that creates the company: the Articles of Organization (Form 610) goes to the Ohio Secretary of State, accompanied by $99 (Ohio Rev. Code § 1706.16).

    Reference: codes.ohio.gov (edition of October 2026)

  5. Section 5

    Apply for a federal tax identification number

    After formation, an EIN identifies the LLC to the IRS and lets it open accounts in its own name. Mainstay Filing handles the EIN application without a separate charge.

  6. Section 6

    Put the ownership terms in writing

    An operating agreement is the document in which the owners of a Ohio LLC record who owns what and how decisions are made. It stays with the company and is never filed with the state.

  7. Section 7

    Handle the recurring Ohio filing

    Ohio has no recurring LLC report, so the only continuing duty is keeping a statutory agent on file.

Ohio costs by section

PurposePayeeAmount
Section on formation The state$99
Filing service (optional) Your chosen service$199 in the first year
State fees across years one to three The state$99

The filing fee, two later reports and any minimum tax make up the state's three-year total; the bibliography shows where each figure came from.

Why the list is in this order

Chapters the price completes decided first place in Ohio. It is 30% of the ranking, and the rest comes from tuition over three years, second-year bill, fit for the state syllabus and clarity of the price list.

A close result settled by paperwork completed.

Common questions

What is the cost of a Ohio LLC formation?

The state's fee is $99. Paid help raises the first-year bill by $199.

Which form creates the LLC?

When the Ohio Secretary of State accepts the Articles of Organization (Form 610), the LLC exists.

Is a statutory agent required?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

What does Ohio require each year?

Only the agent appointment continues.

Can I form the LLC without a service?

A service is optional. Owners may file by paying $99 as long as they appoint a statutory agent.

Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?

Mainstay Filing, because $199 a year covers formation and a statutory agent, and the EIN application is part of it. After it come OH Registered Agent.org.

Further reading

Bibliography and primary texts

  1. Cited for Ohio Rev: codes.ohio.gov, edition of August 2026.
  2. Cited for Ohio formation fee: Filing fee, official source: codes.ohio.gov, edition of October 2026.
  3. Cited for Ohio registered agent statute: codes.ohio.gov, edition of October 2026.
  4. Mainstay Filing, Ohio service page: consulted November 13, 2026
  5. OH Registered Agent.org, pricing page: consulted November 13, 2026